March 9,1919, 
QIljp (Ontario 
WaBl)tnnlon, B. (£. 
that we fail to respond to the oall of Spring we shall be about ready to 
fold our blanket over our head and make ready to cross the divide.‘That time 
is not yet.I was out to the Columbia Golf grounds yesterday,and the white 
oaks near the club house was crowded with red-headed woodpeckers.I fancy this 
must be their stronghold near Washington,and many pairs must breed in the 
surrounding territory.We always have a couple of pairs on our course but 
nothing to compare to the number near Chevy Chase Lake. 
You certainly have a tough problem to solve at the farm.As things have 
turned you are well rid of the present incumbent as he would never again take 
any real interest in the farm and in your plaps.All the same it is not going 
to be easy to replace him.Whatever his failings he had many of the qualifi¬ 
cations you need,and the difficulty of replacing him is all the more compli¬ 
cated since you have to look out for the wife,A singlr man would be pretty 
sure to introduce complications of his own,and a pleasan* and well bred wo¬ 
man is about as hard to find as a competent farmer. 
Carry and the Doctor are undoubtedly right in the belief that the farm 
has come to be rather necessary part of your life,and without it it is difficu 
to see how you can find a substitute.You simply must hpvad part of the time 
out of doors,and how oan you spend it so comfortably and get out of it what 
you need so easily as on your own land. I guess} you will have to hold on to 
the farm as long as you can, and meet the necessary expanses by retrenchment 
elsewhere 
